Weatherstripped threshold



June 17, 1958 R. G. or-:HMIG 2,838,812

WEATHERSTRIPPED THREsHoLD Filed May 24, 1955 UnitedStates Patent O WEATHERSTRIPPED THRESHOLD Robert G. Oehmig, Chicago, Ill. Application May 24, 1955, Serial No. 510,675

6 Claims. (Cl. 20-64) This invention relates to thresholds and particularly to thresholds having resilient weather-sealing means thereon for sealing engagement with the lower edge of the door.

In weather sealing thresholds of the aforesaid character it has been customary to provide the rigid portions of the threshold with a weatherstrip of rubber or like resilient material extending longitudinally in an upwardly projecting relation along the upper surface of the tread plate of the threshold so as to engage with and be slightly compressed by the lower edge surface of the door when the dooris closed. Such prior weatherstripshave in most instances been associated with the threshold in such a manner as to present upwardly opening grooves along the edges of the resilient weatherstrip, with the result that dirt and water tend to be trapped therein. This has, of course, been considered to be quite objectionable. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to enable resilient weatherstripping to be provided on thresholds in such a way that dirt and water cannot collect along the edges of the weatherstripping, and a related and more specific object is to attain such results in a way that produces a neat and attractive appearance in the threshold.

Where resilient weatherstripping is employed on a threshold it must, of course, properly engage the lower edge of the door in order to attain its intended function, and the problem of attaining such proper engagement is complicated by the usual variations in the vertical clearance allowed beneath doors. The resilient weatherstripping must project upwardly from the upper face of the threshold in order to engage the door, and to meet such situations it has been proposed heretofore to provide for varying upward projection of the resilient member by applying varying lateral compression to a tubular resilient member that functioned as a weatherstrip. This required that a two part threshold be used, and in general has been considered to be unsatisfactory.

It is therefore a further important object to simplify the attainment of proper engagement of the weatherstrip with the lower edge of a door, rand a related object is to afford a simple reversible weatherstrip member made from resilient material and arranged in its two different positionsl to provide for different amounts of clearance.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a weatherstrip threshold wherein proper outward drainage of water from the weatherstrip and along the upper surface of the threshold is assured; to alord a weatherstrip form and mounting that insures against inadvertent removal of the weatherstrip; and to provide such a weatherstrip that may be adapted readily and easily to different door clearances as an incident to the installation of the threshold.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims,

and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which,

by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment,

of the present invention and the principles thereof, and l ICC 2 what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying Athese principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.

-In the drawings: y

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a weatherstripped threshold embodying the features of the invention; r

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the weatherstripping;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the threshold;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view showing the Weatherstrip in compressed sealing relation to the door; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing the weatherstrip in reversed positions to provide for dilferent door clearances.

In the form selected for disclosure the invention is embodied in an elongated threshold 10 having a resilient weatherstrip 11 extended along its upper surface for resilient engagement with the lower edge 12L of a door 12 when the door is closed. The threshold 10 is of uniform cross section throughout its length and is adapted to be made from metal by conventional extrusion processes. Thus the threshold 10 has an upper tread plate 15 and at opposite edges of the tread plate 15 downwardly sloping inner and outer flanges 16 and 17 are provided which rest on the Hoor to support the tread plate 15 in an outwardly sloping or draining relation. Beneath the flanges 16 and 17 downwardly extending legs 16L and 17L are provided, and the surfaces of these llegs that are faced toward the edges of the flanges are so formed as to cooperate with specially formed lower surfaces of the flanges in providing downwardly facing dovetail or undercut grooves 16G and 17G. These grooves 16G and 17G serve to receive similar cushioning and sealing strips 16S and 17S that are formed from a resilient material such as a vinyl plastic, and when the threshold 10 is secured to the oor as by screws or other conventional means these strips 16S and 17S afford a weather seal between the oor and the flanges 16 and 17.

In providing for association of the weatherstrip 11 with the threshold 10 under the present invention, the tread plate 15 is formed with a longitudinal slot 20 therein, thus to sectionalize the tread plate 15 into what may be termed sections 15A and 15B disposed on opposite sides of and in effect defining the slot 20. The tread plate 15 as thus sectionalized is nevertheless held in a rigid relation through a normally concealed connection vafforded between and beneath the sections 15A and 15B of the tread plate. Thus, integral legs 21A and 21B are provided on the respective tread sections 15A and 15B, and near their lower ends the legs are connected by an integral horizontal wall 22. The legs 21A and21B and the wall '22 thus connect and rigidly relate the tread plate sections 15A and 15B, and cooperate to define a relatively deep and wide clearance passage 23 that is laterally centered on the slot 20. The upper side of the space or passage 23 is defined by the overhanging ledge portions, of the tread plate sections 15A and 15B, and hence the Ipassage 23 and the slot 2i), when considered together,

may be said to be an undercut groove or inverted T-slot.

The weatherstrip 11 under the present invention has unique characteristics of form which enable it to cooperate in a novel and advantageous manner with the novel threshold hereinabove described, and by reason of such novel cooperation, ready adaption of the threshold structure for. different clearances may be accomplished, trapping and accumulation of dust and dirt is avoided,

.and inadvertent removal or displacement of the weatherstrip 11 is prevented. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the weatherstrip-11 is formed from a resilient material such as a vinyl plastic which, of course, may be extruded t9 Patented June` 17, 1 958 3 provide the desired cross sectional form, and the weatherstrip 11 comprises a pair of reversely related and generally similar sealing members 11L and 11S connected by relatively 'narrow web 11W.` The web 11W as herein shown is hollow in form'to conserve'material and'make the strip 11 more readily bendable in handling and packing. The sealing members 11L and 11S areY outwardly convex in form and have generally at opposed surfaces to which the web 11W is joined substantially midway between the edges of such at surfaces, and in the present instance the sealing members 11L and llS are hollow in form. Such hollow form in the sealing members 11L and 11S is afforded by a convex wall 11C and aV generally at wall 11F which meet in an acute angular relation to form sharp opposite edges that may bear snugly against the ilat upper faces of the tread plate section 15A and 15B.

YThe web 11W is but slightly narrower than the slot 20, and since the sealing members 11L and 11S are relatively wide, the spaces afforded on opposite sides of the web 11W and between the walls 11F are relatively deep as measured from the edges of the sealing members to the web 11W. The weatherstrip 11 may thus be associated with the threshold by inserting the web 11W endwise into the slot 20 with one sealing member located within the passage 23 and the other sealing member overlying the tread plate sections 15A and 15B. The weatherstrip 11 may, of course, be inserted in either of its relationships, and in those instances where the sealing members 11L and 11S are made of the same size, this capability may be utilized when the upper or outer sealing member 11L or 11 becomes worn due to prolonged use. As herein shown, however, the sealing member 11L is made so as to be somewhat larger or thicker than the sealing member 11S, and this is done so that the workman, by reversal of the weatherstrip 11, may install the threshold so as to conform with diiferent clearances that may be encountered under the door. When the weatherstrip 11 is thus installed the upper one of the members 11L or 11S serves as the weather sealing means, while the other of such members serves as the retaining means to hold the weatherstrip in position.

As above pointed out, the flat lower surface of the uppermost sealing member 11L or 11S fits at against the flat upper face of the tread plate 1S, and presents sharp edges that lie snugly against the tread plate so as to prevent entry of dirt or water beneath the weatherstrip. The normal forces applied downwardly to the edge ofthe sealing strip 11 when the door 12 compresses the strip serve to promote this sealing action, and, in addition, the strip 11 is initially formed as shown in Fig. 2 so that the opposed edges of the substantially flat walls 11F are normally in substantial contact. Thus, when the strip 11 is put in place, normal resilient forces are effective tending to maintain the sharp edges of the upper Vsealing member in snug engagement with the tread plate. This enables normal sweeping and cleaning operations to be performed without danger of forcing dirt or water underneath the strip 11.

It is important to note that the clearance passage 23 of the undercut groove is relatively Wide and deep, thus nto afford sufficient clearance space for reception of either of the sealing strips 11L or 11S of the reversible weatherstrip 11. The wall 22 or legs 21A and 21B that cooperate Vwith the overhanging ledge portions of the tread plate sections 15A and 15B in providing the housing clearance passage 23 serve also to rigidly connect the tread plate sections, and also to function as leg means for supporting the adjacent edges of the tread plate sections rmly in the Ydesired position, and although the wall 22 and legs 21A and 21B are herein shown as being straight in form and rectangularly related, it is to be recognized that other forms and relations might be employed so long as the aforesaid housing, connecting and supporting functions are attained.

From the foregoing description itwill be apparent that the present invention enables resilient weatherstripping to be utilized on a threshold .in such a way that dirt and water cannot collect along or under the edges of the weatherstripping. Moreover, the present invention provides a weatherstripped threshold that is neat and attractive in appearance.

It will also Vbe evident that the weatherstripped threshold of the present invention may be quickly and easily adapted for effective use with doors having varying clearances, and the weatherstrip is so related to the threshold that it cannot be inadvertently displaced from its operative position.

Thus while I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention it will be recognized that changes may be made those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A weatherstripped threshold comprising a rigid member formed with a tread surface and an inverted substantially T-shaped slot extending longitudinally of said member, and a resilient weatherstrip secured in said slot, said weatherstrip comprising a pair of elongate resilient members each having a substantially D-shaped cross-sectional contiguration and fixed together by a web extending between their generally flat walls, with the curved and generally fiat walls of both of said resilient members on each side thereof meeting to form sharp edges extending longitudinally of the respective resilient members and with said longitudinally extending edges of said members being biased toward each other, said web being received in the opening of said slot of said rigid member with the said longitudinally extending edges of said strip bearing snugly against the portions of said rigid member that are received between said resilient members.

2. The threshold set forth in claim l wherein one of said resilient members is larger than the other.

3. The threshold set forth in claim l wherein said rigid member further comprises a plate having a substantially level portion in which the upper surface thereof comprises said tread surface and including downwardly sloping iianges extending outwardly of said level portion from each longitudinally extending edge thereof, said opening of said slot dividing said plate into sections spaced apart by said opening, a Wall depending from each of said seetions and extending longitudinally of said rigidmember yand being spaced from said opening, a further wall extending between said depending walls and rigidly connecting said plate sections together, said walls and the portions of said' plate sections overlying said further wall defining said slot;

4. The threshold set forth in claim 3 wherein said iianges' are each formed with a generally ilat undersurfaee along their outwardly extending edges', and wherein weatherstripping means is mounted along the lengths of said undersurfaces.

5. The threshold set forth in claim 3 wherein said depending walls comprise supporting legs for said plate sections.

6. A weatherstripped threshold comprising a rigid member formed with a tread surface and an inverted substantially T-shaped slot extending longitudinally of said member, and a resilient weatherstrip secured in said slot, said weatherstrip comprising a pair of elongate resilient members each being hollow and having a cross-sectional configuration substantially thicker at its center with an outer Wall and a generally flat inner wall and xed together by a web extending between their generally flat walls, with the curved and generally flat walls of both of said resilient members on each side thereof meeting to form sealing edges extending longitudinally of the respective resilient members and with said longitudinally extending edges of said members being biased toward each other, saidV web being received in the opening of said slot of said rigid member with the said longitudinally extending edges of said strip bearing snugly against the por- 974,706 Penny Nov. l, 1910 tions of said rigid member that are received between said 1,485,208 Altman et al Feb. 26, 1924 resilient members. 1,998,791 Schanz Apr. 23, 1935 2,093,727 Julien Sept. 21, 1937 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2,718,677 comen Sept 27y 1955 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,739,357 Seabrook Mar. 27, 1956 678,080 Wilt July 9, 1901 2,751,638 Wallenbrock June 26, 1956 794,424 Petit `uly 11, 1905 

